jb879123

So I bought my 04 6MT TL with 95k in May2011. It runs like a dream. I have the parts ready to go for the 105k service and excited for it. However, the past week, on three separate occasions, I have smelled a strong odor of burned clutch. I was 90% sure it was coming from my car. I was not doing anything strenuous to the clutch, no hill starts or anything difficult really.

what i have done differently recently, was during "cruising", i drove in short bursts. like 5seconds of gas, 10seconds of foot off the gas pedal. i saw my MPG increase from 12 to 21-23!

but that has no way of affecting the clutch, correct? the clutch is only in use when youre foot is on the clutch? i would have a difficult time affording a new one right now.

i know the AZ 6MT superstars can help me on this one! thanks in advance.

SouthernBoy

the clutch is only in use when youre foot is on the clutch?
Your clutch is "in use" the entire time of its life in your car, whether or not the car is in motion or sitting still with the engine off.

what i have done differently recently, was during "cruising", i drove in short bursts. like 5seconds of gas, 10seconds of foot off the gas pedal. i saw my MPG increase from 12 to 21-23!
I would highly suspect your numbers on this. Ignore your MID and do an actual mileage verification to really see what you're getting. Whenever you remove your foot from the accelerator, especially for as long as 10 seconds, you're going to slow down a lot with the clutch engaged and some if it is not. This is dangerous to you and others around you. Plus it very well may be illegal in your state. Don't do this.

The best and simplest way to tell if your clutch is starting to slip is to pay attention to engine speed and road (wheel) speed. First, find a hill where you can safely conduct the following little test.

Get going at enough of a speed where you will be in third gear at around 2500-3000 RPM. Once on the hill, go full throttle. If your clutch is slipping, your engine speed will increase disproportionately to any increase in wheel (roads) speed. You can also conduct this test in second gear, but remember that second is a shorter gear than third so less engine torque is needed in second to move the car... this is why third is better.

It's possible that the smell you are noticing could be a fluid leaking onto the exhaust or heat shield. Power steering fluid can be a culprit here so check this out before assuming your clutch is going. But it could be the clutch so do the little test and see what you come up with.

Our clutches have self-adjusting pressure plates so you won't know that the clutch is starting to go until it is actually ready to fail... not much forewarning. Unfortunately for you, unless you know the person who owned the car before you, you have little idea of how it was driven, how the clutch was operated, before you took ownership. Frankly, most folks do not know how to properly operate a manual transmission which is why you frequently see people replacing clutches at low mileage and 95,000 miles on a clutch is not a lot of mileage. You should expect at lest twice that on a new clutch.

Let us know what you turn up.

jb879123

ive never believed the MID. those numbers are from mileage verification. the clutch seems strong on hills. no leaks anywhere, i really dont understand what the issue is.

jb879123

anyone else have any input?

i thought it was implied...... but i obviously do this maintaining a speed, +/-3MPH. i dont speed then slow down, since that would defeat the purpose of doing it, right?

again, those numbers are calculated through mileage. when foot is off the gas injectors are off, reducing consumption, keeping the motor spinning when engine speed. i recently let off the frequency of doing this, and I havent noticed the smell for a while.

there is a possibility it was a coincidence each time. everyone knows how that burned clutch smell hangs low in the air.

jb879123

ok, so ive just come to this conclusion.

i made a quick trip to my friends house 10mi up the highway, doing roughly 85-95MPH most of the way. i arrived at an atm off the highway before his house and noticed the smell.

when i got to his house, i also noticed the car sticking when in neutral or with the clutch depressed, as if the brakes were hung up.

i had the brakes done on my car the first week of december2011. without asking, the mechanic adjusted the parking brake, fairly tight. the days i have noticed the smell have been the warmer ones of the year, and after i decent drive.

could the smell be the parking brake heating up and sticking, do to the warmer temperatures and being to tight? it didnt occur since the brake job because of winter, and now that its warming up the Pbrake is expanding?

i'd really love someones opinion on this. ill be loosening it tomorrow regardless to see if that helps, but would still like some input.

ez12a

if you suspect the parking brake just simply jack the rear end up and spin the tires by hand with the parking brake released.

it shouldnt expand or heat up during normal driving if properly adjusted. The parking brake shoes are inside the hub of the rear rotors. Your rear caliper(s) could be sticking.

also, clutch material is similar to brake material, so it's not a surprise you accidentally mistook one for the other. I'd go about checking your brakes.

jb879123

this must be it. and ive adjusted before so it will be quick. i understand it shouldnt expand if properly adjusted, but it felt tight from the beginnning and this is making sense now. very doubtfuly on rear calipers sticking as there is no abnormal levels of brake dust.

jb879123

problem found. frozen caliper in the rear.

ez12a

Awesome! Glad it wasnt the clutch!

SouthernBoy

Any damage to the rotor? Warping, scoring, etc.?

jb879123

luckily, no. the caliper froze before sometime between september and the beginning of december when i had all four pads and rotors done. the work was done by a nationwide chain, who i was suspect about in the first place. they said they freed up the frozen caliper and it was all set.

my mechanic friend who was unable to do that work at the time just did the caliper. He remarked that everything was fine, aside from possibly a tiny amount of extra wear on that pad. There is under 1500mi on those pads as my commute is 5mi round trip and we use the GFs 4x4 ford escape to cart around the dogs and such.

SouthernBoy, i appreciate the words about the misuse and lack of awareness on manual transmissions. ive driven standard all my life and i drive an 8LL eaton fuller transmission in a Peterbilt 357 for work. im knowledgeable of manual transmissions, and was so confused by the smell of clutch especially since i wasnt doing anything wrong. thankfully it was only the caliper and not the clutch, which btw feels incredibly strong and a bit lighter not that the right rear isnt pulling back. i put in just 5gallons last night to see if the fuel economy improved and it did quite well, too.

although i managed to problem solve this one on my own, this site is a constant source of help and knowledge. thanks to everyone.

SouthernBoy

I'm pleased to hear that it was a brake problem and not your clutch. A lot less expensive and problematic, that's for sure.